1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for protecting eyes against the rays of the sun, comprising: a support frame mountable on a head provided with an ear support, and at least one shielding member displaceable relative to the support frame, wherein the shielding member has a curved shape which fits the shape of the face of a user, and wherein the shielding member is connected to the support frame for pivoting round at least one point of rotation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The advantages of protecting eyes against the sun""s rays, such as for instance preventing glare, are generally known. Use is made for this purpose inter alia of sunglasses, which filter out in optionally selective manner a part of the sun""s rays. Drawbacks to the use of sunglasses are that a part of the light from the image the wearer of sunglasses wants to look at is also filtered out. In addition, it may be irritating that the eyes of the wearer of the sunglasses cannot be seen, for instance when a conversation is taking place. Another method of protecting eyes against the rays of the sun is the use of a cap or sun visor which is placed on the head. Not only the eyes but also a part of the face surrounding the eyes of the wearer is hereby shielded against direct rays of the sun. It is also uncomfortable, particularly in warm conditions, to wear a cap or sun visor.
The American patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,464 discloses a facial shield for protection of the eyes from the sun. The shield comprises a one piece shielding member and supporting means coupled to the shielding member for supporting the shielding member on a user""s head. The shielding member has a curved shape which fits the shape of the face of a user, wherein the shielding member is connected to the supporting means for pivoting round at least one point of rotation. The shielding also comprises a nose support which is an integrated part of the shielding member. The facial shield as described in this publication has the drawback that displacement of the shielding member relative to the supporting means can solely occur in a considerable restrictive way. The position of the shielding member relative to the eyes is fixed, which can result in situations wherein the eyes are not optimally protected against the rays of the sun.
The present invention has for its object to provide a device of the type stated in the preamble, with which eyes can be totally protected against the rays of the sun without the above stated drawbacks of sunglasses, cap, sunshield and sunglasses with sunshield.
The invention provides for this purpose a device of the type stated in the preamble, characterized in that the support frame comprises at least one nose support and wherein the shielding member is connected to the support frame in such a way that tile point of rotation is situated between the nose support and the ear support. Using this device the eyes can be shielded from the rays of the sun very selectively and completely without a greater part of the face simultaneously being shielded from the rays of the sun. A particular advantage is here found to be that the shade created on the eyes (and the eyelids) provides a strong sensation of cooling. An underlying reason for this could be that the eyes and eyelids are relatively sensitive body parts, the local temperature sensation of which has a considerable influence on the general temperature sensation. In addition, it can be an advantage that the selective shielding of the eyes contributes toward even tanning of the face. Yet another advantage is that the eyes of a user of the device according to the invention generally remain visible to conversation partners and that the light from objects being viewed by the user is not filtered, so that a relatively strong image can be observed. The curved shape of the shielding member fitting the face of a user has the advantage that the distance between the face of the wearer and the shielding member is more or less constant over the whole length of the shielding member, irrespective of the position of the shielding member. This results in an improved shielding action of the device according to the invention. An example of this improved shielding action is the intercepting of sun""s rays which are laterally incident on the face of a user of the device; the curved shape of the shielding member also intercepts these rays before they are incident on an eye of the user of the device. The device according to the invention forms a universal solution which combines the advantages of the already existing (sun)light shielding means and which in addition also provides extra functionality. The nose support leads to a comfortable wearing of the device. As the nose support is a part of the support frame, the position of the support frame relative to the eyes is, during use, more or less fixed, while the shielding member has a high degree of freedom of rotation round the support frame. An advantage of the adjustment of the shielding member in a broad range is that the position of the shielding member is always or often adjustable in such a way that the eyes are protected in an optimal way against the rays of the sun.
The American patent publication U.S. Pat. No. 2,235,599 discloses an adjustable eye-shield, which comprises a transparant, resilient eye-shield panel of a substantially rectangular shape, and a flexible head-band connected thereto. The eye-shield is adapted to protect the eyes of a wearer from the glare of artificial light and may serve as a protection for flying particles of matter.
A removable sunglass assembly for attachment to a conventional eyeglass assembly is disclosed by the American patent publication U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,443. When the sunglass assembly is attached to the eyeglass assembly, the position of the sunglass assembly relative to the eyeglass assembly is more or less fixed. In een preferred embidoment the shielding has a curved shape which fits the shape of the face of a user.
Known from the American patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,321 is a combination of sunglasses and a sunshield with a tinted panel and an opaque panel. Both panels are substantially rectangular and rotatably connected to a horizontal headband. The headband is manufactured from resilient plastic and forms part of a support structure which more or less corresponds with an eyeglass frame. The opaque panel is suitable for partial or complete shielding of the eyes of the user against intense sunlight.
In the American patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,214 a shade visor removable from a pair of glasses is provided with resilient loops for engaging on an eyeglass frame. The shade visor is designed to be attached above the lenses in a stationary position. Such a shade visor differs very considerably from the device according to the invention, for instance because of the lack of the adjustability of the sun shade relative to the eyeglass frame.
In one preferred embodiment the point of rotation is situated, in a side view, on the side of the nose support directed toward the ear support. The point of rotation forms a structurally simple and adjustable coupling between shielding member and support frame. By placing the point of rotation at a position which, in front view of the device, lies behind the nose support, the shielding member becomes displaceable such that it can also be rotated to positions above or below the nose support. The very significant advantage of this high degree of adjustability resulting from the location of the point of rotation is that light rays coming from below or above can also be shielded. The device can thus shield the eye from the sun""s rays or reflection from a wet road surface or a water surface. The device can also be used to shield the eyes of a person who is lying in the sun and wherein the sunlight is incident from a position close to the side where the temple bar members are situated. Conversely, light rays incident more or less parallel to the forehead can also be intercepted. Owing to the point of rotation situated to the rear, the shielding member can be rotated to a position above the supporting structure, close to the eyes, and in an extreme case even so far that the shielding member lies against the forehead. Another advantage is that the device can be employed such that a user can look over the shielding member or under the shielding member. Another advantage of the device according to the invention is that it can be manufactured in aesthetically very responsible manner such that it can even be worn as a fashion accessory.
For a more solid construction of the device it is recommended that the shielding member is pivotally connected to the support frame by means of two points of rotation, which points of rotation are located on either side of the nose support.
In another preferred embodiment the shielding member can be fixed in a plurality of positions relative to the support frame, for instance in that the shielding member is mounted pivotally on the support frame. The shielding member can thus be placed in a fixed position such that it situated between the sun (or other inconvenient radiation source) and the eyes.
In yet another preferred embodiment the shielding member consists substantially of an elongate and curved strip of shielding material, for instance manufactured from a material which is impermeable for the rays of the sun. This impermeability can for instance be obtained in that a part of the shielding member is at least provided with a metal layer. It is of course also possible to manufacture the shielding member wholly from metal. Alternatively, it is likewise possible for the shielding member to be provided with a material which is partly permeable for the rays of the sun. A part of or the whole shielding member can thus be partly permeable for the sun""s rays (for instance filtering out infrared and ultraviolet but not the visible part of the spectrum).
For a further limitation of the radiation on the eyes and eyelids, the side of the shielding member directed toward the support frame is provided in a preferred embodiment with a surface absorbing the rays of the sun. Reflecting radiation will hereby also be at least partly intercepted. In practice the absorbing surface will be embodied in matt black.
For embellishment purposes the shielding member can be provided with a decorated surface on the side remote from the support frame. Such a surface can also function extremely well as advertising surface.
Finally, a variant of the invention can also be envisaged wherein the support frame is formed by a pair of glasses. Known corrective glasses and/or known sunglasses can thus be equipped with a shielding member, whereby a new support frame is unnecessary. The pair of glasses will then function as support frame.